Conveying and loading mechanism



@at 8, E935., N. D. LEVIN CONVEYING AND LOADING MECHANISM Filed NOV. 17,1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l hv 'Il bnuIlIIIIIIIIIIlI/llllllt @et S, 1935. N,D. EvlN CONVEYING AND LOADING MECHANISM 4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Nom-17,1931 @et 8, 1935. N D, LEWN CONVEYING AND LOADING MECHANISM Filed Nov.17, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /N VENTO/'Q /V//s D. Lev/f7.

Patented Oct. 8, 1935 rar orsi-es .leery Manufacturing Company,

Columbus,

hio, a corporation of Ohio Appiieenon November 17; 1931, serial No.575,621

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for gathering material lyingin an elongated pile and delivering the material to a point preferablyat one end of the pile.

The invention nds particular application in mines wherein material isremoved in successive increments of considerable length, as in the"longwall system of mining.

According to the longwall system, the wall of the mine room is kerfed toa certain depth throughout its length, or a considerable portionthereof, and the kerfed material shot down, the disrupted material lyingin a pile extending along the newly exposed face.

According to the present invention, for the purpose of removing thedisrupted material an elongated stationary conveyor is disposed parallelto the face and spaced from the material a sufficient distance to permita gathering instrumentality to travel between the conveyor and mineface, gather the material, and pass it to the stationary conveyor fordelivery thereby to the room entry. In its travel the gathering conveyoris guided by guiding means presented by the adjacent edge of thestationary conveyor.

Features of novelty reside in both conveyors and 1n their combination,as will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment ofthe invention,

Figure l is a plan view of a suitable form of gathering conveyor,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the conveyor of Figure l, A

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure l and includes a crosssectional View of the stationary conveyor,

Figure 8, and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a guide rail associated with the-stationary conveyor.

, Referring to the drawings, reference number I@ designates generally agathering conveyor which comprises a main casting Il and plates I2 andlill.

The plate l2 is elongated and has a projecting substantially horizontalbed or way i3 and an upwardly inclined bed or way lil, Figs.

l, 2 and 3.

spaced guide members I5 and i6 extend longitudinally of plate l2 insymmetrical relation to the longitudinal axis of the plate, these guidemembers serving to guide an endless draft device in the form of a chainil made up of links pivoted together to render the chain flexible inboth horizontal and vertical planes. Scraper flights i8 are secured tothe chain I'I at intervals and 5 travel over the beds or ways i3 and H.The ends of the flights, it will be noted, project beyond the lateraledges of the bed or way I3 of the plate I2 but terminate inwardly of thelateral edges of the inclined bed or way I4, the edges of the 10 latterbeing contiguous with the lower edges of outwardly flared guide platesI9 and 20.

Journaled in a vertical sleeve 2l of the main casting Il is a head shaft22 upon which is rotatably mounted a sprocket wheel 23 engaging l5 chainI'I tb drive the latter. The sprocket wheel is provided with a lowersleeve portion 24 and within the latter are clutch teeth 25 adapted tobe engaged by clutch teeth 26 formed on a sleeve 21 splined on the lowerend of shaft 22 and held 20 thereon by means of a plate 28. Sleeve 2l isprovided with a circumferential groove 2l n which is engaged a half ring29 provided with diametrically opposite trunnions as at 30, Figure 3,engaged in the bifurcated ends of the yoke arms 25 3 I. The yoke isfixed on a rocking pin 32 to which is also fixed an arm 33 provided withspaced iingers 34 and 35 at its extremities. Pin 32 is supported inbracket members as at 36. A shaft 31 has an eccentric central portion 38engaged be- 30 tween the fingers 34, 35, the shaft 31 comprising twocoaxial terminal portions journaled in blocks as at 39 and Ml, Figure 3,at opposite sides of the machine, the extremities of the shaft beingangularly bent and constituting levers, one of 35 which is shown indotted lines at IGI', by means of which the shaft may be rocked toengage the clutch teeth 25 with the teeth 25 or to disengage themtherefrom.

Above the sprocket wheeel 23 a gear 4I is keyed 40 to shaft 22 and isengaged by a drive pinion 42 nxed on a drive shaft 133 journaled in aportion tl of the casting II in conjunction with a semicircular block45, Figures 3 and 4, between which is positioned a thrust flange 4lintegral with shaft 45 43 and accessible upon removal of the cover plateQ5. Shaft t3 is coaxial with the armature shaft of a reversible electricmotor i8 mounted on a platform i9 of the casting I I, Figure 2, suitablecoupling means for the shafts being pro- 50 vided.

Rotatable on an upwardly extending cylindrical boss portion 4I of gear4I is a ring 5D provided with a plurality of upwardly extending studs5I,

52 and 53 upon which are rotatable planet wheels 55 54, 55 and 56, allof which are engaged by a sun pinion 5l, here shown as being formedintegral with shaft 22. Above pinion 5l a drum 58 is journaled on shaft22 and is held thereon by means of a cap plate 59. Secured to the lowermargins of the drum flange BIJ is a ring gear 6I which is engaged by theplanet wheels 54, 55, 56. Gear 4| and ring 58 are provided withregistrable key ways 62 and 63 in which a key 63' is insertable to lockthe two elements together. Under these circumstances it Will be evidentthat since ring 50 will Yrotate at the speed ,of shaft 22, drum 58 Willalso rotate at the speed of the shaft.

A brake band 64 provided with a friction liner 65 has lugs 66 and 6lsecured to its ends, as shown in Fig. 4, these lugs being provided withouter substantially parallel faces against which bear cap screws 68 and69 `threaded through ledges 'i9 and 'II of the main casting II. Key 63may be removed from its locking position above described whereupon thedrive of drum 58 may be controlled by suitably tensioning brake band 64.When key 63 is not in use, it may be placed in an aperture provided in aplate 12, Figure 3, to assume the dotted line position shown.

With gear 4| and ring 59 locked together, drum 58 is rotated at adefinite relatively high speed which is the speed of shaft 22, as abovementioned. With ring 58 revoluble relative to gear 4| but heldstationary by means of the brake band, drum 58 will be rotated at adenite relatively slow speed. By loosening the brake band to permitslipping of thev ring 56, still slower speeds of drumV 58'may besecured.

Drum 58 is provided with anY annular lubricant chamber 'I3 having anannular cover plate 'I4 prom vided with an opening (notY shown) throughwhich lubricant may be introduced. The bottom of the chamber is providedwith apertures as at I3 overlying cup-like formations 'I5 of ring 50,the latter communicating through ducts 15 with the top of boss portion4| to supply lubricant thereto. Lubricant is also supplied through ducts'I3' to the tops of planet wheels 54, 55 and 56 to supply lubricant tothe bearings thereof, surplus being carried by centrifugal force to theteeth of ring gear 6I to bathe the latter in lubricant.

Downwardly'escaping lubricant is caught in cuplike formations of thering 50 as at '|1, Figure 3, whence it passes through ducts as at 18 tolubricate further contacting surfaces of the gear and ring.

Disposed between the motor and the drum is a casting I9 mounted on themain casting II and secured thereto byV means of bolts. Casting I9supports'a sheave 88 on a vertical axis to one side of the longitudinalaxis of plate I2 and in a suitable plane to receive a cable 8| from drum58. The casting 'I9 supports a sheave 82 on a horizontal axis on theopposite side of the longitudinal axis of plate l2 from sheave 89 andpositioned to receive cable 8| from sheave 80. The main casting supportsa sheave 83 whose central transaxial plane is coincident with thelongitudinal axis of plate I 2, cable 8| being guided to sheave' 83 bymeans of a sheave 84 positioned beneath sheave 82, the path of the cablebetween the last mentioned sheaves being clear of the opening 85 throughwhich the drive shaft 43 ex- Y tends.

A bar 86 extending beneathV plate portion I4 transversely thereofVsupports at its central portion the adjacent sheaves and 88forrotation' about vertical axesand at its ends the bar supports similarsheaves 89 and 90. Sheaves 87 and 88 are positioned to receive the cable8| from sheave 83. As shown in Figure l, the cable ls reaved aboutsheaves 8l and 89. If, however, it is desired to reverse the directionof movement of the conveyor, the cable is reaved about sheaves 5 88 and90.

Forwardly of motor 48 a cover plate 9| extends between guide members I5and I6 and mounted thereon is an upright baille plate 92 surmounted by ahorizontal baffle plate 93. A post at the l0 forward end of plate 92presents upwardly extending spaced ngers 94 and E25. The motor isprotected by forwardly divergent baffle plates 96 and 97.

A bracket 98, Figures 1, 6 and 7, has an arm 99 15 slidably engageablein a sleeve |66 secured beneath the bed or way I 6|, the arm beingsecurable in such position by means of a pin |62 passed through the topplate |63 of the sleeve and engaged in an aperture |84 of the bracket.Bracket 20 98 has an integral stud |85 upon which is rotatable a drum|66, the drum having a brake flange lill spaced within a protecting wall|98 of the bracket and adapted to co-act with a brake band |69. The drumI 86 is rotatable by means of a 25 crank handle H9 and has one end of acableA |I secured thereto.

Band |09 has lugs I I2 and I I3 at its free ends, the lugs presentingparallel outer surfaces engaged respectively by the `cap screw II4 andthe 30 screw spindle |I5 with which is integral a disc II 6 and a shankA lever II 8 is pivoted on shank IIl outwardly of disc ||6 and ispressed toward the latter by means of a compression spring ||9interposed between the lever and an 35 abutment washer |28 at theextremity of the shank. Disc I|6 has a number of spaced lugs as at I 2|and |22 on its outer face between which lever IIS is adapted to seat andthrough abutment therewith to transmit rotary movement to 40 the spindle||5 in either direction. The angular position of the lever II 8 relativeto the screw spindleV may be altered by moving the lever outwardly ofthe shank against the force of spring II9, swinging it relative to theshank and per- 45 mitting it to seat between another pair of lugs.Obviously through proper manipulation of the lever I 8 the tension ofband |89 may be regulated. Drum |66 is intended for use as a retardingdrum and hence must be disposed on the 50 trailing side of the conveyorso as to be accessible to the operator. Band 64 must be controllablefrom a similar station, and to this end I provide an elongated socketmember |23 adapted to engage the head of cap screw 68 or 69, the socket55 member at its other end being provided with a hand wheel |24 andhaving a constricted portion |25 inwardly of the hand wheel engaged inan upwardly open notch in a clip |26 secured to the upper edge of wallI9. According to Figures l, 2 60 and 8, it will be seen that the handwheel |24 is directly above drum I 86, the socket member being engagedwith the head of cap screw 69.

Beneath the guard plate I2? is disposed a starting box |28 whilebene-ath the guar-d plate |29 65 at the same side of the machine isdisposed a reversing switch |38, an electric supply cable |3| beingengaged in a clip |32 on plate 29 and led to a junction box |33 at thetop of the motor through a belled neck portion |34. 7 0

Vbracket 98 is dismounted and remounted at the Yother side of themachine with arm 99 engaged 75A 'disrupted material in a sleeve |35,engaged with the head of cap screw 68 so that hand wheel |24 is broughtabove the newV position of drum |86, the constricted portion |25 of thesocket member being engaged in an upwardly open recess of a clip |36.The starting box and reversing switch are duplicated on the oppositeside of the machine and a clip |31 is provided for engaging the electriccable |3|.

'Ihe stationary conveyor is designated generally at |38, Figures 3 and8, and as here shown is made up of a series of sections as |39, IM! andUil, the conveyor being disposed in substantially parallel relation tothe mine face |42, a mass of being shown in front of the face at |43.

Each conveyor section comprises channel side members as at |54 and |45,Figure 3, a bottom plate |46 and a partition plate |31, the top andbottom runs of an endless draft device traveling respectively above andbelow the partition plate. The channel members have angle bars as at |43and |59, Figure 8a., secured in vertical position adjacent their endsand provided with apertures Ythrough which connecting bolts as at |50are passed to secure the sections together.

In order to provide a substantially continuous and adequate guidesurface for the gathering conveyor, I provi-de a number of channelmembers as at |5| each preferably of the same length as each conveyorsection and provided adjacent their ends with apertures as at |52 and|53 (Fig. 9). However, if desired the length of each channel member maybe a multiple of the length of each conveyor section. The channelmembers are disposed with their ends in embracing relation to the anglebars |58, |49 at the ends of the sections, and pins, as at |5, arep-assed through the apertures |52 .and |53 between bolts |50 and Sidemembers |55 to retain the channel members |5| in alignment. .The members|5| in alinement constitute a continuous guide rail adapted to beengaged by the vertical plate |55 at the rear of the gathering conveyor,this plate being V-shaped in plan as shown in Fig. l to afford a fulcrumfor the purpose hereinafter explained. The lower horizontal plateportion IGI of the frame overhangs the stationary conveyor to deliverthereto, material confining plates |65 being mounted on the side wallIM.

Inasmuch as the guide rails are detachable they may be removed one afteranother after the gathering unit has passed by, and re-attached to theconveyor in advance of the gathering apparatus. In some instances, twoguide rails each of the same length as a conveyor section may besufiicient; or, if desired, one guide rail may be used of a length equaltothe combined lengths of two conveyor sections. v Such double lengthguide rail may be disconnected and slid along the conveyor to a newposition each time the gathering unit reaches the next advanced conveyorsection.

In operation, cable 8 assuming that the gathering conveyor is to bemoved as shown in Figure 8, is passed around a sheave |55 supported by aroof jack |5l disposed in advance of the gathering conveyor and is thenengaged between the fingers 913 and at the leading end of baille plate92. Cable is wound on drum |05 through rotation of the latter by meansof crank handle iE! and the free end of the cable is secured to a jack|58 at the rear of the gathering conveyor. Drum 58 is now rotated .atslow speed through suitable manipulation of band 54 and band |05 iscontrolled so that cable I|| is drawn out at and the socket member |23isY such Va rate as to maintain the gathering conveyor in substantiallyperpendicular relation to the stationary delivery conveyor.

It should be noted that the gathering edges of the plate I2 are inalinement with the edges of the pan |59 as shown in dotted lines in Fig.l. Therefore, since the projecting sides of the rear end lof theframework of the gathering conveyor are in elevated positions thegathering unit as a whole is free to tilt in opposite directions to alimited extent to keep the gathering edge in contact with the surfacefrom which the coal is being loaded and prevent such edge from riding upover the loose coal. When .the rope gearing is arranged as shown in Fig.8 the pull on the rope is such that tilting will be effected at theelevated connection 9d, 95; furthermore, the location of the anchorage|5'i may be such as to secure a resultant force tending to hold the rearend |55 of the frame of the sectional Aguide rail which is detachablysecured to that side of the conveyor |38 facing the working face |42 ofthe coal vein.

While I prefer to guide the rope 8| over the pulleys 8G, 82, 33, 8l and89 as shown in Fig. l so as to cooperate with the retarding rope drum|55 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8, it is evident that whenincreased leverage for tilting the gathering unit is desired the vrope8| may be extended to the anchorage |51 from the top of the gatheringunit, trom the rope drum 53 in either direction. Tt is thereforedesirable to mount the rope drum 58 on the uppermost side of thegathering unit.

It should be understood that the gear 6| is keyed to the head shaft 22so that when the clutch 25, 26 is in, power will be transmitted from themotor shaft t3 whether the rope drum 58 is being rotated or not.

The rope drum 58 is journaled loosely on the upper end of the head shaft22 and is therefore coaxial therewith. It can readily be seen that whenthe brake band 5d is released from the ring 55 the rope drum 53 will notbe rotated when the pinion 51 is rotated with the vertical head shaft22. When the rope drum 58 is Vstationary and the ring 50 is free theplanet gears 54, 55, 55 simply walk around the inner annular gear 5| onthe rope drum 58, When, however, the brake 55 is partially applied tothe ring 55 the rotation of the latter is retarded and consequentlypower is transmitted t-o the rope drum 58. The greater the application othe brake 54 to the periphery of the ring 55 the less the slip will bebetween the brake band and the ring and the greater will be thetransmission of power to the rope drum 58. The application of power tothe drum 58 may thereiore be controlled according to the condition ofthe coal to be gathered. When the pile of coal is shallow and easilygathered the rope drum may be operated at maximum speed by inserting thekey S3 to connect the gear 6i to the ring 56. Then there will be adirect drive to the drum 58 from the gear 3| and the brake band 54 maybe kept released while the speed of travel of the gathering unit may beregulated by controlling the motor i8 which is connected to the shaft43.

Through transposition of the parts as above described, the conveyor maygather in either direction of travel, motor i8 being reversible tosecure the proper direction of travel ofthe flights. As has also beenmentioned, the Working speed of movement of the gathering conveyor isobtained through the planetary transmission between shaft 22 and drum58. A faster handling speed is obgathering unit against the 20 tainedwhen band 64 63 is engaged in keyways 62 and 63 to lock ring B to gear4|. c

When handling the gathering unit to position it where desired'the clutch25, 26 may be disengaged by rocking the shaft 37 which may bemanipulated from either side of the gathering conveyor. 'I'herope Si maybe removed from the guide pulley 89 or 99 and passed through the rearbottom central passageway formed by the vertical spaced apart plates ii,62 and the horizontal plate E63. The plate i63 is flared upwardly at itsforward and rear ends to facilitate sliding of the rope through thepassageway referred to while the free end ofthe rope is connected to axed anchorage in the mine and a pull is being exerted on the rope bydirect rotation of the rope drum 58 with the key 63 inserted as shown inFig. 3. The rear edge of the base plate 159 is beveledv at |54 to enablethe gathering unit to more easily ride over the floor while it is beinghandled for positioning purposes. In such handling operation the poweroperated mechanism on the gathering unit is used to move the latterabout in the mine from one place to another and into position at theconveyor 38 as shown in Fig. 8.

It should also be noted that the plate H55 is V-shaped in plan asV shownin dotted lines vin `Fig. 1, therefore, during operation the outer endof the gathering conveyor may have a limited amount of forward andbackward swinging movement on the connection between the bearing platel55 and the guide channel i5i as a fulcrum.

In practice, conveyor |38 will ordinarily be placed in position and alongwall machine operated between the conveyor and the mine face to forman underkerf therein. The whole face vmay be underkerfed and shot downand the mining machine removed and replaced by the gatheringconveyor orthe gathering conveyor mayY follow to the rear of the mining machine,the under- V kerfed material, Ythrough suitable means, being`continuously dislodged in advance of the gathering conveyor unit. WhenYthe gathering conveyor unit is fed in one direction the conveyor i38may be operated in the same direction or the opposite direction. limitedto any precise mode of procedure since it will adapt itself to varioussystems of material removal as will be understood by those skilled inthe art. Y

Further, while I have described a specific embodiment of the inventionit is to be understood that I do not limit myself to structure except asset forth in the following claims:

l. Apparatus of the class described comprising a receiving conveyorhaving an elongated frame and on a side of the frame a longitudinallyextending rail having an outer lateral guide surface, a side gatheringconveyor comprising a frame adapted to move along the receiving conveyorin substantially rectangular relation the-reto to discharge thereto,means comprising a Winding drum on the gatheringconveyor frame Y for somoving said gathering conveyor and means on the rear portion of saidgathering conveyor horizontally pivotal on and movable along said railto maintain the operative relation of the gathering conveyor to thereceiving conveyor.

2. Apparatus of the class described Vcomprising a receiving conveyorhaving an elongated framey and on a side of the frame a longitudinallyextending rail having an outer lateral guide suris entirely released andkey However, the invention is not f winding drum on the gatheringconveyor' frame for so moving said gathering conveyor, and a rearwardlyfaced shoe on the rear portion of said gathering conveyor having ahorizontally convexed face pivotal on and slidable along said rail tomaintain the operative relation of the gathering conveyor to thereceiving conveyor.

3. A side gathering conveyor comprising al frame including an elongatednormally horizontal base plate tiltable about a longitudinal axis toascraping position with an edge of the base plate in substantiallycontinuous Contact with the supporting surface, an endless materialmoving device having a portion traveling on said plate adjacent saidedge, and means for laterally traversing the conveyor substantiallytranslationally and for tilting the conveyor comprising a winding drumon said frame, a draft cable windable on said drum and led from one sideof said conveyor at a relatively elevated point. means for rotating thedrum to tension the cable and thereby movey the conveyor bodilylaterally and tilt the base plate about said axis, a snub'- bing drum onsaid frame, a cable led from said other side of said conveyor, and meansfor controlling said snubbing drum to control the tilting angle of saidplate.

4. A side gathering conveyor comprising a. frame including an elongatednormally horizontal base plate tiltable in either direction about alongitudinal axis to a scraping position with an edge of the base platein substantially continuous contact with the supporting surface, anendless material moving device having a portion traveling on said plateadjacent said edge, and means for laterally traversing the conveyorsubstantially translationally and for tilting the conveyor comprising aWinding drum thereon, a draft cable windable on said drum and adapted tobe extended from either side of said conveyor at a relatively elevatedpoint, means for rotating the plate about said axis, a snubbing drumsecurable to said frame at either side thereof, and a cable windable onsaid snubbing drum and led to an external anchorage at the opposite sideoi the conveyor from said rst named chorage, and bing drum to plate.

5. A side gathering conveyor comprising a frame including an elongatedbase plate tiltable about a longitudinal axis to a scraping position,and means for laterally traversing and tilting the conveyor comprising awinding drum an external anchorage at the other side of said conveyor,means-for controlling said snubbing drum to control the tilting angle ofsaid plate, and guide means for the conveyor comprising a guide rail`extending along the path of movement of the conveyor at the deliveryend of the latter, said rail having a lateral face toward the conveyor,and abutment means at the delivery end of the conveyor movable cn and incontact with vsaid rail face to limit bodily movement of said conveyorin one longitudinal direction while permitting free tilting thereof.

6. A conveyor comprising an elongated frame, an endless draft deviceguided longitudinally of said frame, an upright head shaft at one end ofsaid frame and projecting upwardly beyond the upper limits of saidframe, a wheel on said shaft engaging said draft device to drive thesame, a downwardly faced bevel gear on said shaft for driving the same,a motor cn said frame, a motor driven shaft having a pinion thereonengaging said gear; and means for moving said frame comprising a windingdrum rotatable on the upper extremity of said shaft, planetary gearingbetween said shaft and drum including a rotary planet carrier disposedbetween said drum and gear coaxially with said shaft, and means forlocking said carrier to said gear to cause rotation of the drum at thespeed of the shaft.

'l'. In combination with a conveyor comprising a plurality of troughsections, the sections being provided at the ends of their side wallswith outwardly projecting ears, and bolts connecting the ears atadjacent ends of adjacent sections, rails disposed externally of a sidewall of the conveyor and provided with means engageable behind saidbolts to secure the rails to the conveyor.

8. In combination with a conveyor comprising a plurality of troughsections, the sections being provided at the Vends of their side wallswith outwardly projecting ears, and bolts connecting the ears atadjacent ends of adjacent sections, rails disposed externally of a sidewall of the conveyor and provided with means engageable behind saidbolts to secure the rails to the conveyor, said rails being in the formof channelv portion normally assuming a substantially horizontalposition with the head portion elevated thereabove, means beneath andsupporting said head portion, the edges of said foot portion beingunobstructed and the side plate being tiltable in either direction onthe edges of said foot portion and on said supporting means, the lowerof said edges upon such tilting being in substantially continuouscontact with the supporting surface, an endless flexible draft devicemounted for travel longitudinally of said base plate, material engagingflights on said draft device, the advancing and returning runs of saiddraft device being disposed side by side, an upright head shaft on saidhead portion, a drive wheel on said head shaft engaging the draftdevice, said head shaft extending above the remaining conveyorstructure, a winding drum on the upper end of said shaft, a motormounted adjacent the juncture of said head and foot portions above thedraft device and closely adjacent thereto, drive connections betweensaid motor and'said shaft, a draft cable windable on said drum and ledfrom one side of said conveyor at a relatively elevated point so thatupon driving the drum from said shaft to tension the cable the conveyoris moved bodily laterally and tilted, a snubbing drum on the conveyor, acable led from said snubbing drum toI an external anchorage at the otherside of said conveyor, and means for controlling the snubbing drum tocontrol the tilting angle of said plate.

NILS D. LEVIN.

